Spelter, Maesteg

 Spelter, Maesteg [SS8593] is the square I've chosen to survey at least once a month this year in the hope of getting 100 species for the 1km square. It is currently on 64 species. First walk around it looked pretty desolate and flowerless at this time of year, but all it took was one late blooming Sallow tree to attract 17 species of hoverfly. New for the square were Platycheirus clypeatus, Platycheirus tarsalis, Cheilosia albitarsis and Neoascia podagrica taking it to 68 species. so not a bad start. May should be much more livelier. The first Rhingia campestris and Syrphus vitripennis of the year were seen and the most numerous species was Platycheirus albimanus (45).

On the other insect front were the first of the year in Tree Bumblebee and the moths Adela cuprella and Cydia ulicetana. Birds were pretty quiet with singles of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap of note.

Rhingia campestris

Cydia ulicetana

Blaencaerau

 First real walk around the site this year. Sunny weather and quite warm (16c) out of the cooler wind. I recorded 19 species of hoverfly which is pretty good for this time of year. New for the year were  Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Platycheirus clypeatus, Sphaerophoria scripta, Cheilosia albitarsis, Cheilosia bergenstammi, Chelosia pagana, Neoascia podagrica, Pipizella viduata and Syritta pipiens. Commonest species was as expected - Platycheirus albimanus (75).

Lots of butterflies about today including Orange Tip (10), Red Admiral (1) and Small Copper (1). First 14-spot Ladybird and Green Tiger Beetles of the year. Amongst the bees was an Ashy mining-bee.

Cuckooflowers and Dandelion were in full bloom but Sallow has mostly gone over and none of the other tree species are yet to bloom.

On the bird front some summer visitors have returned including Willow Warbler (9), Chiffchaff (6), Whitethroat (1) and Cuckoo (1). The Llangynwyd rookery is up to 8 occupied nests.

Eristalis nemorum

Helophilus pendulus

Melanostoma mellinum

Sphareophoria scripta

Syrphus ribesii

Small Copper

specimens from 2023

 Roger Morris of the Hoverfly recording scheme has been busy working on the update for the Widguides Series - Hoverflies of Great Britain and Ireland in which I have a few photos published. It is now complete and he has worked his way through my back log of specimens and completed the 2023 records a recap of which is below.

2023 records

Syrphus Nitidifrons - new for Wales and VC41 (149 for the valley), very few records for Great Britain                                    

Good records

Cheilosia carbonaria - Only recorded in the valley in VC41 and Wales.

Eupeodes lapponicus - the valley is a stronghold for this rare species'

Pipiza noctiluca - takes the Caerau [SS8594] 1km square onto 100 species.

Platycheirus occultus - scarce.

Other records

Cheilosia fraterna (2)   Cheilosia albitarsis (1)   Cheilosia impressa (1)

Cheilosia proxima (10)   Cheilosia scutelllata (3)   Cheilosia vernalis (2)

Chrysogaster virescens (1)   Neoascia meticulosa (2)   Pipizella viduata (2)

Sphaerophoria interrupta (4)

The 2024 records will follow over the next week or two. Once again many thanks to Roger for taking time and patience for determining my specimens.

Cwmfelin Park

 The Blackthorn at the park was in full bloom and dripping with hoverflies in the 19c sunshine although the stiff easterly wind made it feel a tad colder. 11 species were recorded with new for the year in Epistrophe eligans (3), Meliscaeva cinctella (3), Syrphus ribesii (1), Eristalis arbustorum (1) and Helophilus pendulus (2). Highest numbers were Syrphus sp. (50), Platycheirus albimanus (50) and Eristalis pertinax (50). Couldn't find any of the scarcer Platycheirus amongst the albimanus though.

There were also plenty of Large Bee-fly around and the Llangynwyd rookery is now up to 6 pairs and a Blackcap was singing it's head off in the park itself along with one Chiffchaff.

The Blackthorn bank at Cwmfelin Park

Epistrophe eligans

Melanostoma scalare

Large Bee-fly